3 Studs, 3 duds from Bucks' tough yet potential-filled preseason loss to Lakers

Stud - Bobby Portis

When you're constantly being featured in the trade machine, one of the best ways to silence those who want you gone is to play well. That's exactly what Milwaukee Bucks big man Bobby Portis did in this one, having an incredibly efficient game off the bench. In just 14-and-a-half minutes, he finished with a game-high 23 points and was a team-high +12.

The big man was efficient with almost every single shot, shooting 8-of-9 from the floor, including a perfect 5-of-5 from behind the arc, and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. It felt like it was going in each time Portis shot it, and it nearly did. This is the type of spark that the Bucks need from Portis, even if he won't score 23 every night. Sweet 3-point shooting like this could be an X-factor.

Dud - AJ Green

Like Andre Jackson Jr., there were a lot of eyes on AJ Green entering the preseason, especially after Doc Rivers praised the guard's offseason efforts. He hasn't quite burst onto the scene just yet, as he finished with just three points on 1-of-4 shooting, all of which came from 3-point land while tallying a pair of turnovers in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 18 minutes, the Milwaukee Bucks need more from Green. His main draw is his perimeter shooting, and it just hasn't been there in the preseason. Thankfully, Green has time to shoot his way out of this slump throughout the remainder of the preseason. If he's going to be trusted to be on the floor in an extended capacity, he's got to start by finding that perimeter shot.